Have I understood Buddhism correctly?

ddrishi

This website has been my first exposure to discussion on Buddhism. It happens quite too often while going through some discussions that I develop serious doubts whether I have understood Buddhism in
its true letter and spirit. Let me tell you what I understand by Buddhism. I believe that Buddha meditated for years and that alone gave him wisdom to find out about noble truths and noble path. It is not that Buddha followed noble path or noble truths to become what he became. I further believe that Buddha said that anyone who meditates would become Buddha himself and may find his own noble truths or noble path. I believe that Buddha did not want us to stop at his four noble truths as there could be fifth or sixth truth too......Therefore, I feel anyone who is not trying to find his own noble truthe or his own noble path through meditation is in fact not following Buddha at all. Pardon my ignorance but that is what all I know about Buddhism. Please do correct me wherever necessary.

I_AM_THAT

It truly is a practice and you are correct in stating that you should not stop at the four noble truths. These are just signs pointing you in a direction, don't stop and stare at the signs but look to your own path, and above all, question everything. How else can you find true wisdom?

Still_Waters

I believe that Buddha did not want us to stop at his four noble truths as there could be fifth or sixth truth too......Therefore, I feel anyone who is not trying to find his own noble truthe or his own noble path through meditation is in fact not following Buddha at all.

Using a famous analogy, I would say that the Buddha's teachings are like a finger pointing at the moon (enlightenment). The finger should not be mistaken for the moon. Once enlightenment is achieved, we can rely on our innate wisdom to guide us and we can discard any generalized teachings. This is also the meaning of the parable of the raft. We use the Buddha's teachings as a raft to carry us through the turbulent waters of samsara, until we reach the bank of enlightenment. At this point, we can leave the raft behind.

However, prior to enlightenment, we do need the raft to cross the river. We do need the Buddha's teachings. If, in our unenlightened state, we simply invent our own "Noble Truths" or "Eightfold Path", then we are not following the Dharma that leads to enlightenment. Meditation is an extremely important part of the path that Buddha taught, but the Buddha also taught wisdom (prajna) and morality (sila) as part of his path.

Alan

Ada_B

You have a couple of choices: you could try to find Enlightenment yourself, using whatever means you can develop. Or you could use the method devised by the Buddha.

Personally, I would fancy my chances rather more using tried and tested methods than my own invention. But it is entirely up to you. Sometimes, we have to try everything else first.

Floating_Abu

This website has been my first exposure to discussion on Buddhism. It happens quite too often while going through some discussions that I develop serious doubts whether I have understood Buddhism in
its true letter and spirit. Let me tell you what I understand by Buddhism. I believe that Buddha meditated for years and that alone gave him wisdom to find out about noble truths and noble path. It is not that Buddha followed noble path or noble truths to become what he became. I further believe that Buddha said that anyone who meditates would become Buddha himself and may find his own noble truths or noble path. I believe that Buddha did not want us to stop at his four noble truths as there could be fifth or sixth truth too......Therefore, I feel anyone who is not trying to find his own noble truthe or his own noble path through meditation is in fact not following Buddha at all. Pardon my ignorance but that is what all I know about Buddhism. Please do correct me wherever necessary.

My experience has been Buddha's teachings (Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra, Lankavatara Sutra etc) have been consistent with the experiential part ie practice. Whilst there is the 'do it yourself' part, there are deep subtleties and depths in our practice, which can be hard to fathom for the DIY practitioner. i.e. Whilst one is encouraged to find it on one's own, that path is usually laid out already for us, and yet we need to walk it.

Best wishes,
Abu

grout4cake

If you become enlightened like the Buddha, lets hope you are as comapssionate as the Buddha to come and relay further noble truths to those of us still stuck in samsara.
I don't think Buddha was the first enlightened person,but the fact that he extended himself to rescue others from samsara by providing a simple and easily explained method to liberate ourselves puts him in a category unrivaled in compassion and wisdom.

I_AM_THAT

I think this story fits the original question...

One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river"? The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side".

Dakini

This is a misconception that the Buddha attained all his realizations via meditation. Many of the guiding principles we know today were arrived by his experience of life. His experiments with asceticism for example, which lead him to believe it's harmful, an experience that paved the way for him to realize that extremes are best avoided, hence the epiphany that resulted in his "Middle Way" doctrine. He didn't realize "life is suffering" via meditation, he saw it with his own eyes. Meditation is just one tool in the toolkit. Compassionate action, observation and insight all work together symbiotically to move us forward on the path, as they did the Buddha.

I_AM_THAT

A good day for finding stories!

Finding a Piece of the Truth

One day Mara, the Evil One, was travelling through the villages of India with his attendants. he saw a man doing walking meditation whose face was lit up on wonder. The man had just discovered something on the ground in front of him. Mara’s attendant asked what that was and Mara replied, "A piece of truth."

"Doesn’t this bother you when someone finds a piece of truth, O Evil One?" his attendant asked. "No," Mara replied. "Right after this, they usually make a belief out of it."

Daozen

There is nothing to understand.

compassionate_warrior

Why do people say things like this to beginners: "there's nothing to understand"? That's not helpful.

The Buddha didn't' follow the 4 Noble Truths, he observed life, and drew the conclusion that "Life is Suffering, but there is a way out of suffering" and so forth. The 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path didn't exist until the Buddha conceived them. The Buddha observed life, conducted experiments with his own life, and in the end, devised a path, a method, to attain freedom from suffering.

taiyaki

there is nothing to understand. like you said the buddha just explained what he experientially realized.
thus the emphasis on practice, rather than clinging to intellectual theory.
buddhism is obvious. just see for yourself.

anyone can understand. practice and engagement is real buddhism.

Jeffrey

Meditation can be used to strengthen the ego also. So meditation doesn't necessarily lead to becoming a buddha. At least thats what I have been taught.

taiyaki

@Jeffrey

definitely! that is why meditation must always supplement everyday life. sitting is nice, but the real effort is when we engage with the world.

to be mindful in the thunderstorm so to speak.

aMatt

Perhaps consider the teachings of buddhism like sandpaper, that can help help us all erode clinging. The lessons aren't really truths to behold, such as a diamond on our finger... they are truths to apply to our daily life which then lead us toward freedom.